learning from the sad goose.

Most people who know me know that I am lukewarm to the existence of Canada Geese. Especially when their existence takes to slapping their goofy feet on the roof over my head and relentlessly honking at their buddies down on the ground when the windows are open.

Canada Geese are the drunk frat boys of the bird world.

But here’s the thing.

Canada Geese are monogamous, they find a mate when they’re two years old and stay with that mate their entire lives, which could be as long as 24 years. That’s kind of endearing right? However it doubles whatever honking happens to be around since the critters travel in pairs.

There’s a sad goose in a field by our house. He has no mate, I’m assuming something awful happened to her. He just walks back and forth all day long. Waiting. Waiting for her to come back? Waiting for someone to come rescue him? Geese can and usually do find new mates, but what about the interim? The waiting? How long will he wait? I highly doubt his little bird heart and bird brain can feel the type of pain I’m projecting onto him…but I learned a lesson from that sad goose out in the field.

Anyone can hurt. Even stupid, stupid geese.

And just because I don’t like someone or something doesn’t make their hurt any less hurty.

I hope to see that sad goose with a new lady soon. The thought of our sad goose dying in a field of a broken bird heart is too much for me. However I’m grateful in a strange way to that goose for teaching me just a little bit more about compassion, especially when it comes to those I don’t especially like.

I’m impressed you were able to find such an insightful thought in a goose.

If I had seen that goose out there, I would’ve assumed he was searching for the perfect place to take a poo. Geese and their poo annoy me to no end. But thanks for the reminder that annoying things may hurt too.

I wonder if pigeons are the same? One day I was sitting at a stop light and saw a hurt pigeon land in the middle of the street, trying to fly, but failing. The companion bird kept circling and finally landed on the overpass and sat and watched, helpless. It was so sad to me.

You are so damn funny! The geese by our home poop everywhere and I am afraid that they will chase me and peck my eyes out. But, now I feel a little differently towards them. I hope I don’t see any lonely ones.

So I was trying to explain my theory that you can love someone even though you don’t have to like that person. It didn’t come across very well. You did it so very much better than I. I’m going to have to use this analogy next time I try to explain my theory (giving you full credit of course).

Oh, Christina, I saw the same thing once. A Canada Goose standing by its dead mate. It broke my heart. I live in Indy, and yes, the geese are everywhere, but it’s our fault. We made habitats that they can’t resist. Personally, I like the geese. I think they’re beautiful and love they way they waddle and honk.

If it lessens the pain of watching the poor sad goose, you should know biologists have recently discovered (through DNA testing) that geese and many other animals though to be monogamous are really only “socially” monogamous. Sexually, the lady birds are alley cats. Maybe he’s sad because she ran off for the weekend with another goose.

It’s true that everyone has feelings, whether you like the person/animal or not. I just try to remember that everyone has a mom who loves them, and it brings it into perspective for me. If someone hurts my child, it hurts me. It’s the same for every mother.

It’s so funny, I’ve had a post in my head I’m planning to write that’s going to be called Canadian Geese. So when I read your title, I got a little teary right away because I had an inkling of where it was heading.
Still haven’t had the baby yet, huh? Do you need any more nesting/cleaning/cooking to do? Because I know a place just west of Indy that could really use some attention.

I am no fan of the geese. We are lousy up here with them (it being Canada and all) and there are so many in the river by my work that they’ll actually block the road. Like a herd of cows, only geese. Unfortunately every now and then they forget they aren’t in a herd and one will get hit. And it breaks my heart every time to see it’s partner sitting by it, for hours, on the side of the road.
Now if they’d only learn to use a porta-potty.

I remember driving home from work on a fairly busy highway and there was a goose in the median flapping frantically. Because his wife/her husband (who the heck can tell with geese?) had been hit by a car a bit farther down the road. And the sight of that poor, sad goose has always stuck with me.

And, now that I think about it, has probably led to more anthropomorphizing of animals than is strictly necessary.

Have you ever read “The Snow Goose” by Paul Gallico? It’s a good mom/daughter book (my mom read it to me growing up) and while it’s not about icky Canada geese, your post reminded me of that book – it’s kind of lonely and lovely all at the same time